Visiting yet another train in the Heber Valley, Utah, 2009, or The Work I'm Most Proud Of Today

Today the moon is in the sign of Capricorn.

When the moon is in Capricorn, self-discipline and focus will nurture us. Capricorn energy can exhaust or depress us. But it can also help us balance our emotions with work that will fill us with pride.

When Lyndon was little he loved Thomas the Tank Engine. Our lives, our apartment, and our routine were steeped in trains: Daily walks to ride the subway or see the trains pass, elaborate wooden track set-ups, Thomas on TV. Internally I struggled with the message on the show every day: “Thomas is a very useful engine.” Thomas was reliable and steady while other trains might slack off or undermine the conductor or their fellow trains. I didn’t want Lyndon to internalize the idea that worth comes from usefulness. I was so much more comfortable with Mister Rogers’s messages of love and acceptance: "There's just one person in the whole world like you. And people can like you just the way you are."

When the symbolism of Capricorn and the moon come together, the conflict of those messages comes into focus. We are worthy, we are important, and yet some of our worthiness comes from what we actually do.

Today reflect on the times you’ve done the right thing or the hard thing even when you didn’t feel like it, out of a sense of integrity. Think of what you’ve done that you can be proud of, whether as a parent, a professional, or a human being. All the sacrifices, all the grunt work leading to where you are today.

Try to balance commitment with care today, duty with your own needs. And take a moment to see what you’ve built over time. What are you most proud of today? Notice it, appreciate it, and keep chugging.